מָלַךְ
ma.lakh
to reign
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# The Hebrew Word for Kingship: מָלַךְ (malakh) The Hebrew verb מָלַךְ (malakh) means "to reign" and appears 347 times throughout the Hebrew Bible, making it a frequently used term for royal authority and rule. This high frequency suggests that concepts of kingship and sovereignty were central concerns in biblical literature. The word captures the active exercise of power—not merely holding a title, but the ongoing practice of governing and exercising dominion. The consistent translation as "to reign" indicates the word's primary semantic field involves the establishment and maintenance of monarchical rule. It describes the action of a king ruling over a kingdom or people, making it fundamental to biblical narratives about dynasties, succession, and political authority. The verb's prevalence across 347 occurrences suggests it was used to describe both historical accounts of actual rulers and theological concepts about divine or human sovereignty throughout different periods of biblical composition.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
347 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
2 Chronicles 20:31Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
2 Chronicles 20:31Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
2 Chronicles 21:1Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in David’s city, and Jehoram his son reigned in his place.
2 Chronicles 21:5Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 21:5Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 21:8In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.
2 Chronicles 21:20He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He departed without being missed; and they buried him in David’s city, but not in the tombs of the kings.
2 Chronicles 21:20He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He departed without being missed; and they buried him in David’s city, but not in the tombs of the kings.
2 Chronicles 22:1The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place, because the band of men who came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the oldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.
2 Chronicles 22:1The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place, because the band of men who came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the oldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.
2 Chronicles 22:2Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
2 Chronicles 22:2Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
2 Chronicles 22:12He was with them hidden in God’s house six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.
2 Chronicles 23:3All the assembly made a covenant with the king in God’s house. He said to them, “Behold, the king’s son must reign, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David.
2 Chronicles 23:11Then they brought out the king’s son, and put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant, and made him king. Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and they said, “Long live the king!”
2 Chronicles 24:1Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.
2 Chronicles 24:1Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.
2 Chronicles 24:27Now concerning his sons, the greatness of the burdens laid on him, and the rebuilding of God’s house, behold, they are written in the commentary of the book of the kings. Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
2 Chronicles 25:1Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan, of Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 25:1Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan, of Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 26:1All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.
2 Chronicles 26:3Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jechiliah, of Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 26:3Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jechiliah, of Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 26:23So Uzziah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” Jotham his son reigned in his place.
2 Chronicles 27:1Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok.
2 Chronicles 27:1Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok.
2 Chronicles 27:8He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 27:8He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 27:9Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in David’s city; and Ahaz his son reigned in his place.
2 Chronicles 28:1Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He didn’t do that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, like David his father,
2 Chronicles 28:1Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He didn’t do that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, like David his father,
2 Chronicles 28:27Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem, because they didn’t bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel; and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
2 Chronicles 29:1Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.
2 Chronicles 29:1Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.
2 Chronicles 29:3In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of Yahweh’s house, and repaired them.
2 Chronicles 32:33Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of the tombs of the sons of David. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
2 Chronicles 33:1Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 33:1Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 33:20So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house; and Amon his son reigned in his place.
2 Chronicles 33:21Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 33:21Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 33:25But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.
2 Chronicles 34:1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 34:1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 34:3For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, the Asherah poles, the engraved images, and the molten images.
2 Chronicles 34:8Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair Yahweh his God’s house.
2 Chronicles 36:1Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 36:2Joahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 36:2Joahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.